UPDATE 12/22/23: When asked for specific figures, Ithaca Police responded, “DWI arrests went up from 12 in the first half of the year to 23 in the second half of the year up until the time of the report. In that same time period accidents in which the at fault driver was subsequently arrested went from 3 to 10.”
The Ithaca Police Department has recorded a 233% increase in accidents involving impaired drivers during the second half of 2023, which also saw a 91% rise in Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) arrests.
Of the Ithaca Police Department’s DWI arrests in 2023, 43% were linked to accidents. This information was disclosed as part of the department’s annual caution against impaired driving during the holiday season.
The announcement states there has been an increase in impaired driving related accidents, nationally and locally. This trend was noted by the Tompkins County Sheriff’s office in October, when it saw 15 individuals charged with DWI. An increase in felony DWI arrests was also evident at that time.
Drivers receive a felony DWI charge if they commit another DWI within 10 years of a prior conviction for DWI. It can also be applied in cases involving aggravated circumstances, such as driving under the influence with a child in the vehicle.
Ithaca Police wish to remind the public to drive safely during the holiday season and to avoid drunk or impaired driving.